


Friendship 101

by orphan_account



Category: Princess Tutu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-24
Updated: 2008-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-25 04:04:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1630538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lilie and Pique go through some growing pains after the end of Princess Tutu.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friendship 101

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I've always loved the Lilie/Pique pairing, both despite and because of finding certain elements of their dynamic incredibly, hilariously incomprehensible. I love Lilie's sadism and Pique's ability to completely distort any situation she sees, and how compatible they are because of these things. Also, that last moment where they were together at the end of the series, looking around for their missing link.that's probably the most heartbreaking part of the entire series to me. This is my dorky, hopefully sufficiently amusing attempt at resolution. :)
> 
> Written for Paceus

 

 

Lilie was Pique's best friend. This had always been true, and always would be true. They'd known each other for as long as Pique could remember, and though she couldn't say she always understood Lilie (she had an odd, seemingly unconscious penchant for physical violence that Pique had never been able to wrap her brain around, for example), Lilie had always been there for her no matter what, and that was what counted. Lilie was always ready to listen to Pique tell her about her love problems, _really_ listen, she didn't just nod and smile when Pique told her things, she urgently inquired for more and it sometimes even seemed like she cared more about Pique's problems than Pique did. That level of empathy was a pretty rare and special trait, Pique knew! And Lilie wasn't very boy-crazy herself, so despite how important Pique's crushes were to her, there was little to no chance of boys ever coming between them; Pique was very, very devoted to working towards earning the affection of her admirees, and to have a friend who supported her so compatibly and unconflictedly was a real blessing. Yes, overall, Pique was incredibly lucky to have somebody like Lilie in her life.

Something had seemed off lately, though. Something about their previously idyllic dynamic had stopped working all of a sudden, like a part of the balance between them had just up and walked away or something, and Pique didn't know what it was but what she _did_ know was that she was getting very, very close to exploding at her best friend in the whole world. And she didn't know how to make it stop.

It had started a couple weeks ago. Lilie had been uncharacteristically glum, and when Pique tried to inquire about what was wrong, Lilie told her without even a hint of a joking smile that she'd gotten totally bored by how uncute Pique was. "Uncute"? Pique didn't even know what that _meant_ , let alone why it should have any effect on Lilie, but what she did know was that it left her feeling vaguely insulted, and she didn't ask again after that.

Lilie had obviously continued to think about it, though, because after a few days of moping her cheery attitude abruptly resurfaced, but that wasn't actually an improvement in Pique's eyes, because the renewed cheer had come at the same time as Lilie's new declared imperative to " _make_ [Pique] cute, whatever it took," and Pique really didn't like the sound of that. Especially because in the days since, Lilie had spent all her time, well, _bullying_ Pique! Pique knew if she tried to explain this to an outsider it would sound crazy, after all Lilie was her _best friend_ and was definitely still interested in staying her best friend, and the idea of one best friend bullying another was pretty far-fetched. But there was really no other word for what Lilie was doing: every time Lilie thought Pique wasn't looking, she'd stick a foot out across her path or shove her from behind, obviously trying to get her to trip and fall; at lunchtime, Pique had caught Lilie switching out the fresh bread on Pique's sandwiches with moldy slices she'd found who knows where on more than one occasion; Pique kept finding tacks in her slippers before class, and Lilie never tried to deny that it was her that put them there - instead, she had the gall to scowl at Pique for not wearing them as they were and scold her for spoiling her hard work!! - and the list of cruel pranks and attacks only went on. The worst part was that Lilie did all of this with the same innocent, well-meaning smile she wore when asking Pique about her love life and listening so sweetly to the answer, which made it very hard for Pique to even stay properly mad at the other girl, because it was clear Lilie sincerely believed she wasn't doing anything malicious at all, and so Pique was left feeling more flabbergasted than furious.

As much as she cherished Lilie's friendship, though, a girl could only take so much, and when Pique woke up that morning to Lilie greasing the floor around her bed, she knew drastic measures had to be taken. At her wit's end, without any other recourse, Pique found herself deciding to do the unthinkable: going to ask Take-sensei for advice.

***

"However can I help you, Pique-chan?"

To his credit, Take-sensei had become a lot more approachable of late. Pique had no clear memories of what her ballet instructor had been like before, but she vaguely recalled claws and whiskers and terrifying threats of marriage. Take-sensei was decidedly human and decidedly interested in teaching his students for their own sakes, so Pique wasn't sure why she associated her sensei with these things (or why she felt a pang of familiarity every time this huge family of stray cats slinked past her on the way to class. Or why the two issues seemed connected), but she still had a residual disinclination to ever talk to him when she didn't need to, let alone ask him for advice about her social life.

Well, there was no time like the present for fighting past her own irrational fears, she supposed, so she plunged ahead and told him all about what Lilie had been doing. She was careful not to use any names, because Lilie was still her best friend and she didn't want to get her best friend in trouble, but she still managed to describe in great detail the way someone who she had been close to her whole life had recently started trying to hurt her in all sorts of mean, petty ways.

"And the person doesn't even seem aware they're doing it, Take-sensei! They just told me that I was 'uncute' and have been harassing me ever since. What do you think could possibly be motivating them? What could they possibly want to achieve?"

"Hmm. It sounds like this someone likes you, Pique-chan, and is doing whatever it takes to get your acknowledgement."

"Well I know that! That's the most confusing part - we've always been very close, and we've always been very fond of one another. So why treat me this way?"

"As I said, this person most likely wants your acknowledgement, a kind of acknowledgement they don't feel they are getting presently. They act out because they don't know how else to tell you they've fallen in love with you; if you still care about this person, the best thing you can do is-"

"Wait a minute! Lil...this person's IN LOVE with me? You think they're IN LOVE with me?"

"I've seen this sort of overt attention-seeking many times with girls and boys your age, Pique-chan; there's rarely any other explanation."

"But that's...it just...GOTTA GO!" 

And with that, Pique stormed out of the room. She _had_ to talk to Lilie.

"I hope she doesn't break his heart _too_ badly," Take-sensei murmured, watching her march off with renewed purpose. These matters were always so painful, for the troublemaker just as much as his poor beau.

***

Pique was fully ready to give Lilie a piece of her mind, about the way you ought to treat the person you're in love with, particularly if that person is _your best friend_ , but before she could find Lilie, Lilie found her.

"This isn't working, Pique-chan." Lilie announced. "I've done my best to set you on your path towards cuteness, but you've resisted all my greatest attempts, and it's time for a new approach."

"Well, about time!" Pique snapped. "I can't believe you didn't just tell me, instead of treating me so miserably! You know I would have told _you_ if it had been me! I always do!"

"I'm sorry, Pique-chan. I was just so afraid that if I told you, you'd resist all the harder. It's surprisingly difficult to convince a girl she should start failing at ballet for her own good, after all."

"You should be sorry! And you don't know I would have resisted! You should have - wait, what were you trying to convince me of?"

"To fail at ballet. You need to fail at _something_ besides romance, Pique, if you ever want to be truly cute."

"What?"

"Anyway, I've decided to help you become cute in another way, so don't worry."

"No, that's wrong. You weren't trying to sabotage my ballet career, you were trying to tell me you're in love with me!" Pique blurted out. "Stop being so scared of what your own heart is saying to you, Lilie!"

"After all, failing at things isn't the only way to be cute. All I need to help you do is...cry a little, and things should work out just fine. I've come up with the perfect method for this, too! Aren't you excited, Pique-chan? Come over here and I'll show you..."

Lilie wasn't listening. It was clear to Pique that the other girl was so heavily in denial words could no longer reach her. She was even starting to feel a little guilty - perhaps if she'd paid more attention, listened a little harder, been a better friend, Lilie would have never reached this state. Anyway, there was only one thing left for her to do...

"Come on, Pique! What are you waiting for? Don't you want to be cu-MMF!"

Pique smiled into Lilie's lips - there was no way she wasn't getting through now! - and pressed a little harder into the kiss. It was Pique's first time kissing anybody, but she didn't mind; boy crazy she might be, but some things were more important than her romantic life, and her best friend in the whole world was one of them. She brushed a hand against Lilie's cheek, surprised by how wonderful it felt to be a good friend, and broke away, grinning.

"Pique!"

Pique grinned even wider. She'd definitely gotten through. "Now do you get it, Lilie? It's okay. I'll love you too, it's okay, _it's okay_."

"Pique, how could you! You stole your first kiss before I could steal it from you! And you're not even crying! Drat, this is terrible. Whatever are we going to do now?"

"Lilie, I mean it. I understand, so you don't have to worry anymore...to tell the truth, I've always thought you were cuter than any boy anyway..."

Lilie's brow was furrowed in concentration, and Pique wondered if she was getting through after all, or if she'd have to do something even more dramatic to allay the other girl's fears.

"...Lilie?"

"I've got it! You've helped me realize, Pique!"

Thank goodness! "I'm so glad to hear it, Lilie."

"All I have to do is take away some of your other firsts, and I'm sure you'll cry eventually! Here, come with me back to our dorm room, I've a terrific idea about where we can begin. Oh Pique, we'll get you cute in no time!"

"..." said Pique, realizing this was going to be a lot harder than she thought.

But it was okay - being a good friend felt so glorious, she'd gladly do this for Lilie if it took the rest of her life.

And with that, the two of them walked hand in hand back to their room together, more confident than ever that what they'd do when they got there would relieve their friend of her troubles at long last.

And if it didn't, there was always tomorrow night.

THE END 

 


End file.
